To our friends in Free States this may seem a ridiculous exercise but this is a very carefully chosen case. In California the only way to make progress against the bad laws is in Federal court. Also in California, officials such as Officer Becker, have qualified immunity from any prosecution for official acts. However, that immunity is lost in a Federal civil rights complaint. Hopefully Officer Becker will be signing some of his paychecks over to Mr. Richards, SAF and CGF.
Of equal importance but overlooked by some is that fact that this also addresses the notorious "E check." PC 12031(e) that allows an officer to conduct a search to determine if the firearm is loaded with no probable cause. Even liberals who are told this law exists cringe and remark on the clear unconstitutionality of it and yet it has never been challenged.
It is said that fighting gun control in California is a game of chess not checkers and this is the opening move in a long drawn out strategy to provide California gun owners relief from the Draconian gun laws here.
And speaking of Draconian, here's mine. Legal in CA in its present configuration thanks to the work if the fine people at CALGUNS.NET